Baby Boomers Attracted to the Ease of Retrokits

By JOHN BUCHEL - GM Today Staff

This 1995 Chevy pickup was transformed to look like a 1960s Chevrolet truck with a Retrokit design by Dan Fairbanks, owner of Innovation Mold in Germantown.

Dan Fairbanks, creator of Retrokits, puts a fiberglass fender molded from a 1960 Chevy truck onto a 1990s model inside Innovation Mold in Germantown. Fairbanks gave one of the first Retrokit treatments to his 1995 Chevy truck, which he uses to drive to work every day.

Dan Fairbanks loves the look of vintage vehicles, but hates that they have to stay in the garage most of the year.

Fairbanks has owned more than 100 vehicles and restored around 25 to match their original splendor. His frustration with restored cars and trucks was that old-school style usually came with old-school mechanics.

"I was frustrated with my old cars," Fairbanks said. "Typically what happens is you spend a lot of time and a lot of money and you get the thing so it's just right, and when it comes time to drive it you're stuck with an old vehicle. It's not as nice, not as safe. You're basically stuck with a car that doesn't meet up with today's standards."

Fairbanks, owner of Innovation Mold in Germantown, garages most of his prized rides, which became more frustrating than it was worth.

"They sit in storage, and you pull them out once or twice a year and you've got to work on them," Fairbanks said. "You're working on the thing more than you're driving it."

He started turning ideas over in his head, looking for a solution. He matched up pictures of his first truck, a 1960 Chevrolet, with photos of the truck he drives to work everyday, a 1995 model. Then Fairbanks started tinkering in his metal molding shop.

"I thought, ‘Wouldn't it be cool if this looked like an old truck,'" Fairbanks said.

The result was Retrokits - a series of fiberglass moldings which can give new trucks some old tricks.

The kits take about 20 hours to install, Fairbanks said, and don't require the technical skills of a complete restoration.

Now he's planning on manufacturing Retrokits to sell to do-it-yourself restorers.

Baby boomers salivating

Fairbanks recently took the first converted pick-up to the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association show in Las Vegas, where he said his concept was well-received.

Marc Kolbeck, who owns Flying Colors auto customizing shop in Richfield and helped Fairbanks prep his prototype for Vegas, said gearheads were salivating over the original Retrokit truck - a ‘90s truck made to look like the 1960 Chevy -when it was on display in his showroom.

"Then they open up the door and they say, ‘Well how did you get the new dashpad in there'" Kolbeck said.

Some retailers said middle-aged men seem to have the biggest interest in the Retrokits because they can afford to tinker.

"We get a lot older clientele too because your average 18- to 34-year-old can't afford a $50,000 truck and then dump $10,000 into improvements on it," said Bob Opperman, sales manager for Moose's 4x4 and Recreation in Hartford. "I've just talked to a guy today who was 55 and said ‘You know, I've always really wanted to build a really nice truck,' and finally was in a position to do it."

Fairbanks' concept could take those Baby Boomers back to the days of their first truck, or the sparkling pickups their dads drove decades ago.

"It does seem like the biggest interest is from middle-aged guys who either had one or their dad had one," Fairbanks said. "People who have always wanted to do it, but didn't feel capable or didn't have the experience or the tools, it really takes that all away."

Cost still unknown

Fairbanks said he worked out all manner of engineering problems developing the kit. The final result is now heavier than the 1988-1998 trucks it can be installed on, but not enough to significantly affect handling.

The hood molding glues on with 3M panel bonding material and the exterior door panels screw on so door locks and handles can still be accessed for repairs.

Fairbanks said he already has four orders for the kits and interest from a couple of trade magazines and consumer-lifestyle television shows.

If all goes well, he plans on developing different kits, like a 1966 Chevy and 1950s-era trucks, old convertibles for 1990s Chrysler Sebrings and a 1967 GTO to be placed on 1990s Chevy Monte Carlos.

Since manufacturing hasn't begun, the kits haven't been priced yet, but they would likely cost less than a full restoration of an older model.